Cheerleader Laken Snelling, 22, Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison For 'Killing Newborn Son and Stuffing His Body in Trash Bag' After Secretly Giving Birth
Laken Snelling was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Oct. 19 2026, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
A 22-year-old former University of Kentucky cheerleader has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after admitting to killing her newborn son, RadarOnline.com can report.
In August, Laken Snelling pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing a birth.
The Baby's Father Speaks Out: 'It Hurts in Ways That Are Uexplainable'
Izaiah Hall, the baby's father, was present at the sentencing with his family.
"Instead of helping him, I ended his life," she said at a previous court hearing.
Before sentencing, the court learned the baby had been named McCoy Cade Hall. The baby's father, Izaiah Hall, appeared at court with members of his family.
"I don't wish the worst on Laken," Hall said. "I can't change it. My family can’t change it. It hurts in ways that are unexplainable."
"As a grandparent, you imagine the memories you’ll make with your grandchildren," one relative said, longing for the milestones that come along with a new baby. "You look forward to watching them grow and seeing the person they become. For Cade, those possibilities were taken away before he ever had the chance to experience them."
One of the baby's aunts also commented on the matter, saying McCoy deserved decency and comfort. "He was not garbage. He was the most beautiful, perfect, innocent, full-term baby boy," she said.
Laken Snelling Finally Pleaded Guilty In August
The baby was alive upon birth and died from asphyxia.
Judge Diane Minnifield told Snelling she would be facing repercussions for the decision she made. "And sometimes those choices and consequences affect our future for the rest of our lives, and you’ve made a decision that has affected not only your future but the future of all of [the baby’s] biological paternal side,” Minnifield said.
The official cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. Snelling spent months under house arrest at her family's home in Tennessee after withdrawing from the university. A grand jury returned her indictment on March 10.
She initially pleaded not guilty in April, but eventually admitted she had deprived him of oxygen, entering a guilty plea on August 24.
"I was under a lot of emotional stress, and my baby came unexpectedly," Snelling said in August. "And instead of helping him, I ended his life, and afterwards I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone."
The Roommates Had Suspicions
The 22-year-old didn't tell anyone about her pregnancy.
In August 2025, Snelling gave birth alone in her bedroom before falling asleep next to the newborn. She later wrapped the baby in a towel, placing the body and placenta in a trash bag and leaving it in the closet before attempting to clean up. Police were called to the house after her roommates heard unusual noises, discovering a blood-soaked towel and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth.
The roommates talked about the noises in a Snapchat group chat, which Snelling was a part of. At 4 am, they reported hearing a loud noise of something falling that was forceful enough to knock a picture off the wall, saying the noises lasted for about an hour.
Snelling responded at 9 am saying it was just her passing out, as she had not been feeling well and was going to see a doctor.
They investigated her room out of curiosity, leading them to the scene. The roommates claimed they suspected she was hiding a pregnancy, but could never confirm.
Laken Snelling Had Multiple Accounts of What Happened
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Snelling will eventually be eligible for parole.
Snelling originally told police the baby fell on the floor after she gave birth, believing he was not alive. Then, she claimed to have passed out on the baby, waking to find him "turning blue and purple."
She later told medical staff she heard him whimper and move a little. She also took pictures while in labor, but deleted them to "hide the birth."
She will be up for parole after serving 85 percent of her sentence, but is not eligible for probation. She will receive credit for the 415 days she already served.
